I think it will be interesting to see what happens with these solo sequels in the future. One assumes that they're all part of "Phase 4", but even leaving aside the nightmare of wrangling and/or eventually replacing some or all of these actors, I've personally hit a massive wall with these movies, and now I really can't wait for my journey to be over with Avengers 4 next year. I remember really enjoying Thor: Ragnarok back in November, but that was three (!) Marvel movies ago, and feels an eternity away. I certainly have no time for a Black Widow movie at this point, especially as Captain America: The Winter Soldier provided a lot of what a Black Widow movie would have right at the time it was needed.

I started seeing these movies for the actors in supporting roles, and it's been fun, kind of, but aside from Michael Douglas in the Ant-Man films, most of these roles since Robert Redford in The Winter Soldier have been glorified cameos. Jenny Agutter, Michael Rooker, Rene Russo, Stellan Skarsgård and Forest Whitaker have disappeared, while Anthony Hopkins and Angela Bassett aren't likely to have much screen time in their respective franchises going forward. William Hurt has only had two or three short scenes since The Incredible Hulk, and so on. I'm sure there's one or two exceptions I'm forgetting, but the point is that while it was fun to see the likes of Ben Kingsley as a main villain, it's been less fun to see things like one random, minor scene with Alfrie Woodard that goes nowhere.

But more importantly, I think the villains in these movies have all become really poor and useless. With the exception of Thanos, who is both compelling and somewhat threatening, I really can't remember a threatening villain in these movies since Iron Man 3, and that honestly makes for some pretty boring films. Even Sony's Spider-Man: Homecoming was pretty toothless in this regard, and I can't help but notice that it all traces back to roughly the time Disney bought Marvel.

I don't even really know why I persevere at this point (and I'm very likely burnt out), but for whatever reason, I feel compelled to see it through, like it's some kind of endurance test. Also, there is the fact that increasingly, all the time and effort seems to go into only these kinds of movies, up to and including exhibition, where these films (and their cousins, like the vapid Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) always dominate the biggest and best screens, as well as the "premium" theatre experiences. Regardless, I know I'm looking forward to being done, and I can't see myself seeing any Phase 4 films unless they are markedly different. I wonder if other people feel the same way?

Ant-Man and the Wasp is elementary-school-level fodder for underdeveloped man-children and those who indulge it are actively undermining our otherwise healthy culture of adult-oriented artistry and entertainments.

Just kidding, it's not that, but it's also not very good. This latest MCU entry tries to skate by almost entirely on the charm of its cast (which is absurdly stacked to an extent that's profoundly irritating if thought about for too long) and a handful of cute uses of the shrinking/growing tech-magic the film's heroes exploit, but fails to do much of anything interesting with its action, villains, or plot mechanics. Even the trip to the quantum realm isn't particularly fleshed out or interesting, nor nearly as hallucinogenic in its imagery as Doctor Strange.

Still, the movie's most significant failing is in thinking that just putting all these talented people up on the screen with some special effects is enough to get by, but the rampant misuse of characters, replacement-level directing, and an undercooked script leave the cast hanging. Rudd's comedic abilities are severely underutilized in favor of playing up the cute dad persona, and Walton Goggins is mostly wasted (while sinking further into the overly-loquacious-and-smoothly-sinister-villain typecasting quicksand). Evangeline Lilly is a solid presence but is given basically zero characterization, though that's a micrometer more than Michelle Pfieffer gets. Laurence Fishburne's character is basically schizophrenic in his motivations and decision-making, leaving Michael Pena's comic relief character as the only one who garners any actual notice, and even that is pretty slight.

What has usually made it worth giving a shot to these B-side entries in the franchise has generally been a willingness on the part of Marvel to let them have a bit more personality, weirdness, and genre experimentation than the core Iron Man/Captain America/Avengers movies, but when they're as blandly directed and narratively insignificant as this one ultimately is*, they're utterly skippable even for those who are more deeply invested in the larger series.

*

SpoilerShow

Literally the only thing that has any significance to the wider direction of these films happens in a forty-five second post-credits sequence

Since its inclusion in the Best Picture category seems like a foregone conclusion (and it's part of the zeitgeist so I should see it anyways), I dutifully watched Black Panther. This is only my second Marvel movie and my reaction is pretty similar to my earlier response to Ant-Man: eh, whatever.

From what I understand, the film has connected with audiences who are glad to have a predominately black tentpole dealing with black issues in a way that feels authentic in its voice and expression, but I thought it actually explored precious little of this differentiation point. The only scene in the entire film that seems willing to address head-on the disconnect between the races is the introduction of Michael B Jordan (the only actor in this entire film to even register) at the history museum indulging the white expert on African anthropology before making his move. This is an amusing and pointed scene, and coming early in the film, I held out hope there'd be more like it. But no, instead we get some of the most unimaginative action scenes I've sat through lately, told with no visual wit and far too much CGI. And don't get me started on that climax, which involves multiple characters who have impenetrable (and essentially immortal) armor that makes watching them get into fights doubly frustrating because not only is it boring to know they can't be defeated, but those attacking them also know it and go right on attacking them and losing their lives. Just idiotic.

More than anything I thought the film did such a disappointing job at failing to build its world. The essential conceit of Wakanda is fascinating: a black separatist dream come true in which, left to their own devices, people of color are able to thrive and surpass the rest of the world. Imagine if Coogler had instincts of a showman like Speilberg to get curious about this world and let the audience explore it. We see brief snippets of its denizens and the markets, farming, &c, but I have no real concept of the nation or the people in it beyond the politicians and military members. There certainly appears to have been a lot of time and energy spent on making costumes, but the film can't even be bothered to sit still for two minutes to let us see those. It's an impatient movie, and while at two hours and fifteen minutes it's already overlong, surely we could have lost a couple minutes of robo-rhinos to actually learn more about this land that so many characters tell us is worth saving. I don't even know what they're arguing over, the audience don't get let in to Wakanda either.

I think it's too bad that a mediocre film like this has to carry the weight of so much audience investment because it represents such a rare opportunity to see some of these empowering aspects on screen. If anything, this is yet another example of how important it is to have more films about the black experience as interpreted, imagined, and relayed from those within it, so that there are more and worthier films for an eager audience looking for these things to latch onto. A middling superhero movie shouldn't have to shoulder all the weight that's been piled on it. I don't think this even remotely merits a Best Picture nom, but what else is new when that describes like half the nominees every year anyways?

...instead we get some of the most unimaginative action scenes I've sat through lately, told with no visual wit and far too much CGI. And don't get me started on that climax, which involves multiple characters who have impenetrable (and essentially immortal) armor that makes watching them get into fights doubly frustrating because not only is it boring to know they can't be defeated, but those attacking them also know it and go right on attacking them and losing their lives. Just idiotic.

That's funny because the last Marvel movie I sat through before Black Panther was Captain America: Civil War and among many other things I hated the fight scenes precisely because they were stiff, mechanical and unimaginative (which is pretty damning for a comic book fantasy - it's the ONE thing they should have over most action movies). Those scenes looked fine in Black Panther, partly because they had been so bad in my prior experience with Marvel movies.

Anyway, you're right about the idiotic conceit with the armor, but unfortunately, that's standard operating procedure for comic book/super hero movies - they get built up with ridiculous powers, and it's usually the "sweet spot" solution (i.e. a narrow vulnerability) to their power that ultimately wins the day. I enjoyed that kind of thing as a child, but it's partly why these kiddie stories bore the hell out of me now even as basic entertainment.

I will likely post more whe announcements are made, but I basically agree. Outside having black bodies on screen this doesn't really convey anything about black life. Though on your point about representation I feel, ironically, this has actually been a great year for black cinema. True, we have had two bad blockbusters, but that has been covered by at least three prominent films by black artists that by all accounts have some high merits. This has been a great year and it is unfortunate the likely the most recognized film will be one of the weakest.

A middling superhero movie shouldn't have to shoulder all the weight that's been piled on it. I don't think this even remotely merits a Best Picture nom, but what else is new when that describes like half the nominees every year anyways?

The only reason why nominating a film like this and not middle-brow Oscar bait is problematic for me is that it opens the gate for other Marvel films to seem worthy of a nomination,which I think will just elongate this awful blockbuster age were having. If you disliked this stay clear of Infiniti it War which is way worst. My biggest question is that does all it takes for a middling superhero film to receive a BP nom and other awards?
Not to come off as racist, but just sort of inserting a hint of political relevancy into a blockbuster, or making the main hero something other than a white male makes everyone lost their bearings? I remember not understanding why were people pushing WW for a BP nom as well, when I found that film awful. I get that people are happy to see more mainstream, big blockbusters be fronted by other ethnicities and appeal to more minorities. I'm up for that (I'm for sure quitting after Infinity War part 2.,just because I already wasted my time on the first but feel compelled to finish the two parts, because, uh, OCD), but can we please not lose our bearings every time that's going to happen?

It's symptomatic of a time where rather than watching intellectual or at least not mass market films, young aspiring intellectuals instead choose to overintellectualize corporate trash. What do you mean, this thing I've spent thousands of words and hours obsessing over isn't worthy of great admiration and import?
This same group of people choose to elevate issues of racial and sexual identity (which, yes, are important) over all other avenues of thought or discussion. What can possibly be more worthy than a movie that touches on black struggle, featuring a black cast, that's been successfully marketed to hundreds of millions of people? When you see things from this perspective, the value of this thing as art is beside the point.

It's symptomatic of a time where rather than watching intellectual or at least not mass market films, young aspiring intellectuals instead choose to overintellectualize corporate trash. What do you mean, this thing I've spent thousands of words and hours obsessing over isn't worthy of great admiration and import?
This same group of people choose to elevate issues of racial and sexual identity (which, yes, are important) over all other avenues of thought or discussion. What can possibly be more worthy than a movie that touches on black struggle, featuring a black cast, that's been successfully marketed to hundreds of millions of people? When you see things from this perspective, the value of this thing as art is beside the point.

This is pretty much on the spot. It's also an effect of nerd culture gaining notoriety and suddenly becoming a cool label to have. While I enjoy some of the Marvel movies it bugs me to no end how hardcore nerds attempt to validate an identity by refusing to see something for what it is and claiming it's subtely high artistry. These are run of the mill blockbusters. In general some are good, some are bad but it all boils back down to the fact that they are completely manufactured to be forgotten about after they have their time in box office glory which then you only have to wait 3-8 months for the cycle to start again. Even shorter if you aren't just watching MCU movies. You pretty much have year round comic book adaptations churning out.

Most don't realize this is just hype taking over more than anything. They are so blown away that storylines and characters they cherish are finally being brought to film but that's about it. There's already a blueprint for the stories and much like a professional inker all these filmmakers have to do is make sure they cast the roles to please the fans and not change too many things from page to screen. It's not anything special it's simply just tracing every aspect onto film

On a sidenote the cringiest thing was when Winter Soldier came out and it was being hyped as a spy thriller that elevated the comic book film. People only equated it to Three Days of the Condor simply because Robert Redford was in both movies and WS was the closest thing they could compare it to even though both movies are completely different in any and every way. That was when all of this really just jumped the shark.

Of course the fanbases will argue these out-of-the-hat opinions to the death when they could just be spending all that time watching actual films that they think makes up what a Marvel film is. But if they do they'll quickly realize how wrong they've been and lord knows they're not wrong when it comes to comics and film.

It wasn’t hardcore nerds who made claims for the importance of Black Panther, it was thinkpieces by film writers and journalists, many of them black. Hardcore nerddom on the whole is dominated by white straight boys of all ages who aren’t that concerned with representation. Winter Soldier is a homage to a 70s conspiracy thrillers. Whether that makes it a great movie is up for debate, but it’s pretty obvious that it was intentional.

My main query is how many feel compelled to positively reviews these films as good under pressure for keeping with the status quo? Remember how many articles were written on that one guy who gave Ladybird a bad review and knocking it off the perfect 100?